Taking New Paths

I guess it’s my turn to have a brain fart and forget to post on Monday. I blame it on the day job and my crazy schedule as of late. Work insanity aside, I’ve been going through a number of changes with my writing in the last few months. I reclaimed the rights to one of my stories for a number of reasons. I’ll admit that in doing so a part of me felt like my writing career was taking a step backward. Logically, I knew it was the right move and that nothing but good could come of it. It took me some time, however, to come around to that same point of view emotionally. I know that may sound strange, but hey most writers have some degree of crazy going on.

As I was settling things with the rights reversion, and feeling a bit like a loser in the process, I kept thinking of that quote that says when a door closes, somewhere a window opens. I had to realize that I hadn’t taken a step backward; I was just doing a redirect and choosing a new path. I talked to my writing buddies and then I went to the RWA conference and little spotlights of opportunity started to shine. By making a few more adjustments to my new vision even more opportunities opened up. In making that one simple yet difficult decision a load of new possibilities opened up.

So say all that to say what? First, it’s vital to have a good support network. My writing friends were there to lift me up when I was feeling down and help reinforce that I was making the right decision. Sometimes you just need a sounding board and they were there for me and helped me in amazing ways. So, whether it is a critique group, friends you make within a writing group, whatever, find those people who will help you back up when you fall and it will keep you sane in this crazy industry. My second point is to be open to taking new paths in your career. I’ve seen so many writers trudging forward along the down the same road and not seem to gain any ground. Then they do a redirect and things go better than they could have ever imagined. We all have stumbling blocks along the way, but they don’t necessarily have to be bad things. If nothing else we learn from them and move on, but you may also find that something bigger and better comes along by changing your game plan.

2 responses to “Taking New Paths”

I have those on occasion as well along with brain hiccups and brain cramps. (different levels of severity) BG.

Sometimes we do need to reassess our career paths. That is true in writing as it is in other fields. I agree that it shouldn’t mean you are failing. To me, it means a change is used to move my writing forward. We all grow as we write and I think this is part of that growing.

As for ‘writer friends,’ I agree that they are needed to help support us as writers. They energize our writing spirit as well. Plus, they are almost the one group that understands what their fellow writers get out of writing and understand the enthusiasm that a writer has for the plot, characters and story that s/he may be working on. Most others will have their eyes gloss over when a writer starts talking on those subjects.